Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Spritza Time Yellow&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Spritza Time Yellow,’ having sunny yellow medium anemone flowers with a flat capitulum canopy. The variety is upright and free branching with a good foliage presentation.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

[0001] Botanical classification: Dendranthema grandiflora.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

[0002] The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is ‘Spritza TimeYellow.’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, andreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Spritza Time Yellow.’

[0004] ‘Spritza Time Yellow,’ identified as 21703-0, originated from across made in a controlled breeding program in Vinnetrow Road,Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom. The female parent of the newvariety is the variety known as ‘Ingot Time,’ (U.S. Plant Pat. Pending).The male parent of the new variety is an undistributed, unpatentedseedling identified as ‘21170-2.’ The new variety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’has been asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings in Chichester, WestSussex, United Kingdom and the distinguishing characteristics areretained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ is a pot type of Chrysanthemum plantvariety having sunny yellow anemone flowers with a light green disc.

Comparison with Female Parent

[0006] Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ aresimilar to the parent cultivar ‘Ingot Time’ in plant habitat and growthrate. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, UnitedKingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemumvariety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ differed from plants of the parentcultivar ‘Ingot Time’ in the following characteristics.

[0007] 1. The new variety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ produces medium sunnyyellow anemone flowers whereas the parent cultivar ‘Ingot Time’ producessmall golden yellow anemone flowers.

[0008] 2. Plants of the new variety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ have largerand taller inflorescence than plants of the parent cultivar ‘IngotTime.’

Comparison with Male Parent

[0009] Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ aresimilar to the male parent cultivar ‘21170-2’ in plant habitat andgrowth rate. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex,United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the newChrysanthemum variety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ differed from plants of theparent cultivar ‘21170-2’ in the following characteristics.

[0010] 1. The new variety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ produces medium sunnyyellow anemone flowers whereas the male parent cultivar ‘21170-2’produces large golden yellow single flowers.

[0011] 2. Plants of the new variety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ have smallerand shorter inflorescence than plants of the male parent cultivar‘21170-2.’

Comparison with Other Varieties

[0012] Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ aredissimilar to the cultivar ‘Golden State,’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,694, inplant habitat and growth rate. However, in side-by-side comparisons inChichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice,plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ compare tothe plants of the cultivar ‘Golden State’ in the followingcharacteristics.

[0013] 1. The new variety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ produces medium sunnyyellow anemone flowers whereas the cultivar ‘Golden State’ produceslarge golden yellow anemone flowers.

[0014] 2. Plants of the new variety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ have smallerand shorter inflorescence than plants of the cultivar ‘Golden State.’

[0015] 3. The new variety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ has a response time of 8weeks whereas the cultivar ‘Golden State’ has a response time of 8.5weeks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

[0016] Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the newChrysanthemum variety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ are shown in theaccompanying digital photograph. The colors shown are as true aspossible within the usual limits of this kind of illustration. FIG. 1 isa whole plant view of the new variety ‘Spritza Time Yellow’ grown in apot. The plant shown in the illustration is 56 days from thecommencement of Short Days.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0017] The following description of the new Chrysanthemum variety‘Spritza Time Yellow’ is of plants grown in a greenhouse in Chichester,West Sussex, United Kingdom in the month of May. The cultivar has notbeen observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotypemay vary significantly with variations in the environment such astemperature, length of day and light intensity, without any variance ingenotype. The commercial classification of the new variety is a potChrysanthemum.

[0018] Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully undertemperature conditions averaging about 19° C. at night and about 17° C.to 24° C. during the day under light conditions of about 5000 to 6000foot candles. The plants respond well to the use of growth retardant,such as B9 treatment at about 2 g per litre. To produce a commercialproduct the plants may be pinched once with the center bud removed. Thetypical container size for commercial growth is 1 litre. It has beenobserved that the shelf life of the new variety is about 28 days with aresponse time of about 8 weeks. The new variety is suitable for growthin a temperature range of 15° C. to 25° C.

[0019] The new variety may be produced as a spray. The followingdescription is with respect to a plant produced as pot. In thedescription of this new Chrysanthemum variety, color values have beentaken from The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.).

PLANT

[0020] Plant type: pot.

[0021] Habit: upright.

[0022] Height: 28 cm.

[0023] Width: 32 cm.

[0024] Branching characteristics: upright and free branching.

[0025] Length of lateral branches: 13 cm.

[0026] Number of breaks from pinch: 6.

[0027] Stem color: 138B.

[0028] Response time: 5.4 days.

[0029] Vigor: medium tall.

[0030] Shelf life: 28 days.

[0031] Disease/Pest (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observedto date.

[0032] Growth retardant type and treatment: 3 applications of 2.5gm/litre B9 @ 2, 21 and 28 days after sticking unrooted cuttings. Theplants were grown for 2 weeks in Long Day conditions (20 hours of light)and then transferred to Short Day conditions (13 hours of dark).

[0033] Propagation:

[0034]Type.—Vegetative propagation via stem cuttings.

[0035]Time to rooting.—14 days with soil temperatures of 18° C.

[0036]Rooting habit.—After 7 days the first roots emerge and form rootprimodia. In 14 Long Days a complete root system is developed.

FOLIAGE

[0037] Number of leaves per lateral branch: 8.

[0038] Compound or single: single.

[0039] Arrangement of leaves: alternate.

[0040]Shape of leaf.—typically 5 lobed.

[0041]Size of leaf.—Width (cm): 7.5 Length (cm): 6.

[0042]Leaf apex.—acute.

[0043]Base.—cordate.

[0044]Attachment.—petioled.

[0045]Aspect.—slightly undulating.

[0046]Margin.—lobed.

[0047]Surface characteristics.—Top: slightly pubescent. Bottom:pubescent.

[0048] Petiole:

[0049]Color.—137B.

[0050]Length.—2.5 cm.

[0051] Venation: net prominent mid vein at underside.

[0052]Color.—upper side: near 138A underside: near 138A.

[0053] Color:

[0054]Mature leaf, upper side.—near 137A; under side: near 137C.

[0055]Young leaf, upper side.—near 139A; under side: near 137B.

FLOWER

[0056] Flower appearance: matte.

[0057] Flower type: anemone.

[0058] Flower form: flat.

[0059] Flower shape: round.

[0060] Flowering habit: flat capitulum.

[0061] Number of blossoms per branch: 3.

[0062] Inflorescence form: cyme.

[0063]Depth of fully expanded blossoms.—1 cm.

[0064]Diameter of fully expanded blossoms.—5 cm.

[0065]Anemone center diameter.—1.8 cm.

[0066] Phyllaries:

[0067]Number.—30.

[0068]Color.—near 138B.

[0069]Length.—0.6 cm.

[0070]Width.—0.2 cm.

[0071]Texture/Appearance.—pubescent.

[0072] Peduncle: peduncle length is shortest at the terminal flower andprogressively longer moving down the stem.

[0073]Length. 13 cm (average).

[0074]Color.—near 138B.

[0075]Surface.—slightly pubescent.

[0076]Habit.—slightly undulating.

[0077]Strength.—medium.

[0078] Pedicel:

[0079]Length.—terminal: 4 cm; lateral: 5.5 cm.

[0080]Color.—near 138B.

[0081]Surface.—slightly pubescent.

[0082]Habit.—slightly undulating.

[0083]Strength.—medium.

[0084] Ray florets:

[0085]Form/Shape.—straight and spatulate.

[0086]Texture/Appearance.—matte.

[0087]Number per flower.—30.

[0088]Length.—2 cm; Width: 0.6 cm.

[0089]Apex.—rounded.

[0090]Base.—tapered.

[0091]Margin.—entire.

[0092] Disc florets:

[0093]Form/Shape.—cylindric.

[0094]Texture/Appearance.—shiny.

[0095]Number per flower.—250.

[0096]Length.—0.6 cm; Width: 0.1 cm.

[0097]Diameter of disc.—1.8 cm:

[0098] Fragrance: none observed.

[0099] Flower bud (at onset of color):

[0100]Length.—0.7 cm.

[0101]Diameter.—1 cm.

[0102]Form/Shape.—globular.

[0103] General flower color:

[0104] 1. Ray florets, upper side.—13B Immature: near 13B Mature: near13B Older/Fading: near 13C.

[0105] 2. Ray florets, under side.—12B Immature: near 12A Mature: near12B Older/Fading: near 12C.

[0106] 3. Disc florets.—Immature: near 145B Mature: near 145BOlder/Fading: near 9B.

[0107] 4. Bud.—12B

[0108] Flower progression with age: There is no change with the flowersform, but there is a slight color fading with age.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

[0109] Gynoecium present on Ray and Disc florets.

[0110] Ray florets:

[0111]Pistil number.—30.

[0112]Stigma color.—near 6A.

[0113]Stigma shape.—forked.

[0114]Style color.—near 3C.

[0115]Style length.—0.2 cm.

[0116] Disc florets:

[0117]Pistil number.—250.

[0118]Stigma color.—near 6A.

[0119]Stigma shape.—forked.

[0120]Style color.—near 3C.

[0121]Style length.—0.2 cm.

[0122] Androecium not observed.

[0123] Fruit and seeds: None observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 